UK: Lucozade Ribena Suntory inaugurates new bottling line

Lucozade Ribena Suntory, the UK subsidiary of Japanese food and drinks giant Suntory, has inaugurated a new £13 million ($16.9 million) production line at the firm’s factory in Coleford, Gloucestershire.

The new high-speed line fills 55,000 bottles an hour, enabling Lucozade Ribena Suntory to keep up with the demand for its expanding range of low-sugar drinks, the company said. It also uses heat and pressurised air instead of water to clean bottles prior to filling, allowing the company to cut water and energy consumption by 40%, the firm added.

Commenting on the move, Lucozade Ribena Suntory COO Carol Robert said: “The launch of this production line is significant for us and forms part of our ‘Growing for Good’ mission. It’s fantastic to have been able to invest £13m in this line and to deliver a 40% reduction in the energy and water required to make each bottle. In doing so, we are making an important commitment to both the environment and our consumers”.

“This investment is a vote of confidence by Suntory Beverage & Food in our UK and Gloucestershire operations, ensuring Coleford continues to be a best-in-class facility for years to come”, she added.